Apparatus for freeing oil-wells from oleaginous obstructions.



PATENTED AUG 2, 1904.

J. YOAST. APPARATUS FOR PREEING OIL WELLS FROM OLBAGINOUS OBSTRUGTIONS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV.2,1BOZ.

10 MODEL.

Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES YOAST, OF LIMA, OHIO.

APPARATUSFOR FREEING OIL-WELLS FROM OLEAGINOUS OBSTRUCTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,313, dated August2, 1904.

Application filed November 2, 1903. Serial No. 179,531- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES YOAST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for FreeingOil-IVells from Oleaginous Obstructions, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to what are commonly called oil-well cookers, whichare adapted to be inserted into oil-wells and lowered therein to thepoint in the well where the obstruction, generally in the form ofparaffin, is located, and then by the use of an electric currentproducing heat to melt such obstruction and to permit the oil to flowfreely in the well; and it has for its object the improvement andsimplification of the construction of such heaters, which renders themmore efficient in action and less liable to get out of order.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth,and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which is a central sectional elevation ofmy preferred form of construction, A represents a suitable casingcomposed of metal and provided in its lower end with a stopper orclosure B, which is preferably made of cement or some other slightlyabsorbent material to absorb any water of condensation which mightaccumulate within the heater.

Centrally embedded in the stopper B is a rod O, preferably of iron,which has its axis parallel with the axis of the casing A. Surroundingthis rod O is a cement or other insulatingcylinder D, which extends fromnearly the top of the rod to nearly the bottom thereof, as will be seenin the drawing.

Inclosing the insulating-cylinder D is a resistance-cylinder E, which ispreferably composed of compressed graphite. The resistancecylinder E isdivided at its middle for the purpose of facilitating its manufacture,as the cylinder is long and would be difiicult to handle, as shown, andthe two parts are suitably clamped together by a copper clampingring E,which serves also as a binding-post for one of the electric wires.

Embracing the lower end of the insulatingcylinder D and theresistance-cylinder E and making electrical connection between theresistance-cylinder E and the rod O is a metal disk G, which is securedin any suitable manner to the rod O near the stopper B, as is clearlyshown, and which serves to support.

the cylinders D E in their proper places. The upper end of the cylinderE is insulated from the rod O at H, and a pair of metal washers I serveas binders for the electric wire which is connected to the ring F.

The insulator H and binding-washers I are suitably clamped in positionby a nut J, screwed upon the upper end of the rod C, as will be readilyunderstood.

Any suitable plug K is secured in the upper end of the casing A, and ametal cap L is slipped over the same and soldered in place to preventany moisture or other substance from entering theheater, and theelectric feedwires M and N pass through both the cap L and plug K andare insulated therein. The electrical current passes down the wire N andis communicated through the binding-washers I to the upper end of theresistance-cylinder E and is also communicated to the central portion ofthis cylinderE through the medium of the ring F, thence passing downwardthrough the resistance-cylinder E and is communicated to the washer G,through which it passes to the rod O, thence upward through said rod tothe electric wire M, thus completing the circuit, and the passage of thecurrent through said resistance-cylinder E produces the heat necessaryto clear the oil-well from its obstructions, as will be readilyunderstood.

The method of operating my device is to first raise the pumping-pipefrom the oil-well, then insert the heater, and after the well has beenthoroughly cooked the heater is withdrawn and the pump-pipe reinsertedin the well.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In an oil-wellheater, the combination with an air-tight casing adapted to beintrotrical connections between said rod and one end of said resistancematerial, electrical connections between the other end of saidresistance material and one terminal of the source of electrical supply,and electrical connections between said supporting-rod and the otherterminal of the source of electrical supply, substantially as described.

JAMES YOAST.

Witnesses:

EDWARD PEOK, CHAs. M. PECK.

